Combination-lock.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

MARTIN L. HITCHCOCK,.OF FAYETTEVILLE, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR F ONE-HALF I TO C. R. SUMMERFIELD, OF FAYETTEVILLE, WEST VIRGINIA.

COMBINATION-LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 20, 1910.

' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN L. Hrrcrr- COOK, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Fayetteville, in the county of Fayette and State of West Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combination-Locks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to locks and more particularly to that class of locks known as permutation pad locks.

An object of this invention is to produce.

a look so constructed that it is practically burglar-proof but at the same time it may be readily opened without the use of a key.

A further object of this invention is to produce a lock which cannot be opened by beipg struck and which is very difiicult to With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in the details of construction and in the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification wherein like characters denote corresponding parts in the several views, in which- Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of my invention; Fig. 2 illustrates a longitudinal sectional view showing the shackle in locked position; Fig. 3 illustrates a vertical sectional View on the line AA of Fig. 1; and Fig. 41 illustrates a view in side elevation of section A of the casing, the tumblers and operating mechanism.

In carrying my invention into practice, I provide a casing or shell member made in two sections A and B and preferably divided longitudinally. Each of these two sections has its ends closed as at 1 and 2 and has a series of webs 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 extending cross-wise in their interior. As will be seen hereafter, the number of these webs will vary according to the number of tumblers employed. The said web portions are spaced apart to form a plurality of rethe tumbler wheels and the dials controlling the same are adapted to revolve as will be hereinafter disclosed.

Each of the end portions 1 and 2 and the web portions 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 have recesses in the middle portions thereof as at 14, 15,

16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 in which the locking mechanism is adapted to rest. These hollowed out or recessed portions are of different sizes to admit spindles or shafts of different diameters of cross section. It will be understood that the second half of the casing is an exact duplicate of that portion of the casing A which has been described.

A spindle or shaft 21 is journaled in the.

recesses 14: and 15, said spindle 21 being round in cross section for its entire length with the exception of the two portions 22, 22, disposed near its ends which are square or angular in cross section in order that wheels 23 and 25. mounted thereon will be prevented from turning, said wheels having square apertures 24: and 26 adapted to permit the wheels to pass over the squared portions of the shaft 21. A hollow shaft 27 somewhat shorter in length. than the shaft 21 is loosely mounted on said latter shaft and is adapted to rest in the recesses 18 and 19 of the web portions 4 and 6. The shaft 27 also has its ends 28, 28, square in order that wheels 29 and 30 may be received thereon said wheels being adapted to rotate in the recesses 9 and 12 of the casing. A second hollow shaft 31 is rotatably mounted upon the shaft 27 and rests in the recess of the web portion 5. Mounted upon the squared ends 32, 32 of the shaft 31 are two wheels 34 and 33, which are adapted to rotate in the hollowed out portions 10 and 11 respectively of the casing.

The wheels 25, 30 and 34for1n the tumblers of the lock and are provided with notches 38, 39 and 40 respectively, in their outer peripheries for a purpose which will be later disclosed. Wheels 23/29 and 33 serve as index wheels or dials whereby the combination may be made or broken. For

this purpose said wheels are provided with a series of numerals or letters upon their edges as at 35, 36, and 37. It will be understood that any combination of characters may be used, but in the drawings I show two wheels provided with numerals and the other with the letters of the alphabet.

\Vheel 23 is preferably made smaller than the others, but is provided with a rim 23, said rim being connected to the periphery of said wheel by oppositely disposed screws. The before mentioned reference characters are formed on this rim. It will be seen that this rim may be adjusted in any of four or 35 I and 51 in the arm 43 of the shackle when the more positions on the wheel 23, the combination thus being changed at will. Of course a similar device may be applied to any or all of the wheels, thus producing an infinite number of combinations.

I provide a shackle 41 having two. arms 42 and 43 the arm 42 being shown slightly longer than the arm 43. The first mentioned arm has a shoulder or offset portion 44 at its end which serves as a stop to limit the movement of the shackle. The other arm 43 has a series of raised portions 45, 46, 47 and 48 upon its inner side, said raised portions being suitably spaced apart to form depressions or recesses 49, 50 and 51.

Extending longitudinally of the portion A of the casing is a hole 52, which extends through the end portion 1 and the web portions 3, 4 and 5. A similar hole 53 is formed in the portion B of the casing and extends through the endl and the web portions 3 and 4. The aforesaid notches 38, 39 and 40 in the tumblers 25, 30 and 34 are adapted to register with the hole 53, when said tumblers are in proper position.

The arms 42 and 43 of the shackle 41 are adapted to enter the holes 52 and 53 respectively when the notches of the tumblers are registering with the hole 53. When the shackle is inserted to the limit of its movement, the index wheels 23, 29 and 33 may be revolved so as to turn the tumblers 25, 30 and 34 into such a position as to lock the shackle in the casing, the outer peripheries of said tumblers entering the notches 49, 50

mechanism is in this position (see Fig. 2). hen 1t 1s desired to wlthdraw the shackle, the index wheels are turned 1n such manner as to bring the notches in the tumblers to their proper position whereupon the raised portions 45, 46, 47 and 48 may be drawn through said notches and the shackle re moved from the casing.

In order to facilitate the rotation of the index wheels, suit-able apertures 54, 55, and 56 are formed in the casing to permit the insertion of the fingers or a suitable instrument adapted to grasp the wheels. Extending longitudinally of said casing adjacent to the aforesaid openings is a line 57 by which the operator may more easily ascertain when the character figure or letter is in its proper position under the aperture.

It will be understood that although I have shown a lock having three tumblers, similar devices may be constructed having one or two or even a larger number than that shown.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a lock which is easily constructed and one which may be readily index wheel fastened to the shaft on the,

other side of the web, the casing provided with an aperture exposing a portion of the periphery of the index wheel whereby the wheel may be rotated, and a shackle adapted to be inserted in said the tumbler.

2. A lock comprising a casing, a plurality of recesses extending crosswise in the'casing, a shaft journaled in the casing, a plurality of hollow shafts carried by the first mentioned shaft, a tumbler carried by the shaft and by each of the hollowshafts, each tumbler being located in one of said recesses, an index wheel fastened to the shaft and to each of the hollow shafts, each index wheel being positioned in one of the recesses, the casing provided with a plurality of apertures exposing a portion of the pe riphery of the index wheels whereby the wheels can be rotated to operate the tum blers, and a shackle adapted to be inserted in the casing and be engaged by the tumblers. I

3. A lock comprising a casing, a plurality of recesses extending crosswise in the casing, a shaft journaled in the casing, a plurality of hollow shafts carried by the first mentioned shaft, a tumbler carried by the shaft andby each of the hollow shafts, each tumbler beinglocated in one of said recesses, an index wheel fastened to the shaft and to each of the hollow shafts, each index wheel being positioned in one of the recesses, one of the index wheels being provided with a rotatable rim carrying the characters whereby the combination may be changed without removing the casing, the casing provided with a plurality of apertures exposing a portion of the periphery of the index wheels whereby the wheels can 7 be rotated to operate the tumblers, and a shackle adapted to be inserted in the casing and be engaged by the tumblers;

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

MARTIN L. HITCHCOCK.

Vitnesses BEN D. KooN'rz, SUSIE YOUNG BURGER.

casing and held by I 

